What's It Like to Be a Budtender?

Molly Brown has been with Uncle Ike’s since its first location opened in 2014. And in that time she’s seen it all: nervous first timers, old stoners, potential criminals. It’s been a wild ride working for the most visible pot shop in the city.

“Some customers haven’t done it in a long time and start off nervous. There are little signs, like refusing the receipt because maybe they don’t want people to find out. But as they continue to come in they get more comfortable with what we do.”

“There are people who actually ask us for tips on how to smuggle stuff out of state. Of course we absolutely cannot give them any advice. That’s a federal crime! But it happens all the time.”

“The average customer is getting more educated. I don’t always have to ask if they want up or if they want down. They’ll come in and say, ‘Oh, I want sativa!’ It’s really starting to click.”

“Pot tourism is a thing. People visit the Space Needle, then visit a pot shop. And it’s the out-of-towners who get overwhelmed. It’s packaged! It’s up on the walls!”

“Everyone wants to switch over to vaping because it’s cleaner and more discreet. It can be a challenge keeping up with the growing technology. But we have to go with the flow.”